HTML <link> (Link to External Resource File) Tag
Example
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="demo.css">
</head>Meaning
The <link> empty element found in the head element specifies relationships between the current document and other documents.
Possible uses for this element include defining a relational framework for navigation and linking the document to a style sheet.
Notes:
- The <link> element can occur only in the head element; however, there can be multiple occurrences of <link> element.
- HTML 3.2 defines only the href, rel, rev, and title attributes for the link element.
- HTML 2 defines the href, methods, rel, rev, title, and urn attributes for the link element. The methods and urn attributes were later removed from the specifications.
- Under XHTML 1.0, empty elements such as <link> require a trailing slash: <link />.
- WebTV supports the use of the value next for rel to preload the next page in a document series.
Version: HTML 2, 3.2, 4, 4.01, 5
Standard Syntax
HTML: <link rel="linkType" href="URL">
XHTML: <link rel="linkType" href="URL" />Browser Support
Status
Attributes
| Attribute | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| as | audio document embed fetch font image object script style track video worker |
Specifies the type of content being loaded. |
| crossorigin | anonymous use-credentials |
Specifies whether CORS must be used when fetching the resource. |
| href | URL | Specifies a URL that provides the destination of the link. |
| hreflang | languageCode | The language of the destination of the hyperlink. |
| imagesizes | sizes srcset |
Specifies to preload the appropriate resource used by an img element. |
| imagesrcset | sizes srcset |
Specifies to preload the appropriate resource used by an img element. |
| media | mediaQuery | The media for which the destination of the hyperlink was designed. |
| referrerpolicy | no-referrer no-referrer-when-downgrade origin origin-when-cross-origin unsafe-url |
Specifies which referrer to use when fetching the resource. |
| rel | alternate author dns-prefetch help icon license next pingback preconnect prefetch preload prerender prev search stylesheet |
Required. rel attribute names a relationship between the linked document and the current document. |
| sizes | HeightxWidth any |
The sizes attribute is used with the icon link type. The attribute must not be specified on link elements that do not have a rel attribute that specifies the icon keyword. |
| title | text | the title attribute defines alternative style sheet sets. |
| type | mediaType | A valid MIME type that destination of the hyperlink. |
Deprecated attributes
| Attribute | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| charset | characterSet | Specifies the character encoding of the linked resource. |
| rev | rel value | (revision)Specifies the relationship of the current document to the linked document, as defined by the href attribute. |
Global Attributes
<link> element also supports the Global Attributes in HTML.
Event Attributes
<link> element also supports the Event Attributes in HTML.
By Default CSS Value(s)
Most of the browsers will display the <link> element with the following by default value(s)
link {
display: none;
}